Outcomes of Simultaneous Versus Staged Hardware Removal and Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND

This study compares clinical and functional outcomes between simultaneous hardware removal during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and staged TKA after prior hardware removal.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 155 patients who had prior knee hardware and underwent elective primary TKA between 2012 and 2024 at an urban academic institution. Patients were categorized into "simultaneous" removal during TKA (n = 127) or "staged" TKA after removal (n = 28), and stratified by hardware type (minor/moderate/major).

RESULTS

Simultaneous procedures involved significantly less "major hardware," single incisions, and tibial stem extensions than staged procedures (32.3 versus 78.6%, P < 0.001; 81.9 versus 100%, P = 0.007; and 0.8 versus 10.7%, P = 0.019, respectively). Hardware, particularly the major type, was more often retained or partially retained in the simultaneous group (48.0 versus 21.4%, P = 0.008). Reoperation, revision, and infection rates did not significantly differ based on timing or hardware location. Simultaneous patients had smaller 3-month Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Intensity and Interference score reductions (-1.6 versus -9.9, P = 0.006 and +0.4 versus - 7.2, P = 0.007, respectively), but greater 2-year Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement improvements (+25.0 versus - 1.1, P = 0.006) compared to staged patients. Simultaneous major hardware removal demonstrated significantly greater 2-year Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement and PROMIS Pain Interference improvement (+32.0 versus -5.5, P = 0.001, and -6.2 versus +5.8, P = 0.027, respectively), but smaller 2-week PROMIS Pain Intensity score reduction (+2.2 versus -4.9, P = 0.050) compared to staged procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

Simultaneous hardware removal during TKA led to higher retained major hardware rates and fewer single incisions than staged procedures, without increased reoperation or revision risks. Despite higher 3-month pain scores, simultaneous surgery achieved greater 2-year functional improvement, suggesting it offers advantages for select patients.